Living by the blade: Nioh 2 review

Nioh 2 officially launched on the PS4 on 13 March 2020, to bated breaths of fans who loved the first game. Team Ninja has quite large expectations to fill to return to this action RPG, bringing in the hurt and challenge as the game has come to be known for. The sequel takes cues from From Software’s Souls series, adding its own flavour. Strap in for a long, while nevertheless satisfying, journey to be a master samurai.

A prelude to Nioh 2

Nioh 2 is actually a prequel to Nioh, revealing the secret history of the decade long war, but with the same impactful delivery as the first game. Discover the hidden properties of the “spirit stones” to obtain their magical powers within, and wield it to defeat the endless droves of Yokai throughout the country.

You’ll learn of the greater plot through cutscenes and exposition between missions as interesting liberties to flesh out this alternate history together, while bridging one chapter to the next. You’d hear of real life historical figures like Nobunaga and Tokugawa, but whatever it is, you’re here on one mission: to slay the demons plaguing the land.

Relive the hardcore in Nioh 22

Nioh and Nioh 2 are certainly a pair of “hardcore” action games. That level of difficulty is something that is going to make you cry uncle, especially when you’re all fumbling thumbs like myself. Swiping away at the regular guys along the way and you start thinking, “Wow, this doesn’t seem so bad” and then finding a big guy whose size belies the speed you get rushed at and smashed into the ground mercilessly? Yeah.

Who knows just how long one can spend getting stuck dancing with the minotaur, rampaging at you, throwing boulders, and worst of all, apparently random attacks. You’re going to be best friends with the shrine, the path back, and to the last creature that annihilated you without sparing you a single thought.

Imagine my internal screaming when I realized that I didn’t have to just worry about Elite Monsters and mini bosses – let’s not even talk about the big guys themselves. Even the regular guys along the ordinary paths if I don’t glue my eyes to the screen? Please play a tiny violin at a doubtlessly schadenfreude montage of very painful and cringe deaths.

There is a valuable lesson to learn here though. If you do stumble on elites off the story path, don’t just keep throwing yourself at it and getting frustrated that you’re not beating the boss. Take a breather, follow the main story, and get the valuable tutorializing – or as much as it would give anyway – to get used to the mechanics. In difficult games like these, throwing yourself to the wolves might be a fast way to learn, but a slower pace can be important as well.

A better combat feel 

While Nioh 2‘s brutal difficulty would immediately invite comparisons to Dark Souls, the fluidity of movements in combat can be considered more akin to a typical musou game. Of course, in the midst of chaining combos with a variety of weapons, you still need to watch your stamina and health before you accidentally overcommit to attacks. Master the use of the Ki pulse, as timing it right will let you gain that stamina back and you’d be practically home free with this essential skill.

With the Burst Counter, utilizing this advanced riposte technique to nullify an enemy’s attack, while striking them with your Ki. A matter of “getting good” is the ability to recognize attack patterns and finding the opportunities to attack. Games like these may be hard, but they’re generally fair, rewarding players that fighting chance when they learn the fight.

On deaths, you can return to the tutorials. Take this time to calm down from another frustrating death, practice those moves, and try again. It’s understandably exhausting to have to make your trek back to your death spot to reclaim your items, but Nioh 2 is that kind of game. Button mashing can only get you so far, with a whole lot of depth available for the patient to master.

An engrossing system of skills

In addition to the above mentioned mechanics to master, Nioh 2 adds in ‘soul cores’. You can obtain skills from your fallen demon foes and use them to your advantage. Getting the “ape demon” core is something I can easily recommend; it provides a long range attack in addition to the bow and artillery you can utilize. There’s no such thing as a bad thing as keeping your distance in this game. Well, usually. Lots of fun can be had just fiddling with the various cores accordingly to your playstyle, so you can really play it ‘your’ way.

Besides the soul cores, you can further enhance these monster skills through the primary growth trees in the game, besides your samurai, weapons, ninjutsu and yin yang abilities. See how you’d like to build your character! If there’s an obsolete soul core, you can decompose it to use as materials. Alternatively, upgrade your favourite core further.

The yin techniques can buff yourself and your weapons, plus a very handy “blunt character” technique you can use to reveal weaknesses of your foes. With a focal point, unleash your pent up rage from all the deaths, stupid or otherwise, upon the poor soul that dared cross your way.

The Multiplayer experience

For some, if possible, you can opt to drag a friend with you into this hell you’ve found yourself in. A companion may or may not be helping to make things easier. If both players are around the same level, then you might be in for a Time, for sure. Still, having more bodies around can enable more strategies like with the tried and true baiting and kiting. The yokai might still chase if you step a pixel too close into its aggro zone, but misery loves company.

From POINT > TORII GATE > EXPEDITIONS, get into a Quick Match or Custom Match. You can rope in a PSN friend in the Custom Match with settings like “Friends Only”, password protect it and so forth. You can select a mission you’re currently struggling with in the story, or just keep going without a specific mission.

Naturally, to accommodate the increased player count, the foes will become tougher. If you get the help of a really high levelled player to carry you, then you can opt to stick to them and pick up whatever loot that drops. Be sure not to die in your enthusiasm to get the goods, though you can be revived on the spot instead of needing to return to a shrine. When the Blue Assist Gauge runs out, then the mission will fail, and you’d be sent back to the room.

On death, you can be revived at once, at the cost of the Assist Gauge. If you get helped up by your friend, the penalty will be less. Should all players die, then the system will forcefully revive the main player.

Have fun customizing your samurai

The design of the game is certainly stunning. The customization options are wide and varied within Nioh 2, from body shape to visage, skin tone and hair. You can be your pretty samurai of either gender, or maybe if you fancy, something more on the monstrous side. Play with the sliders and choices however you like, your imagination’s the limit.

Conclusion

Nioh 2 is a worthy successor – even if it is a prequel – to the original game. 50 hours, including deaths, isn’t going to be nearly enough to master everything, and you can most assuredly spend twice that. If you’re not a high skilled player, Nioh 2 is likely to turn you off, but if you’re seeking that challenge, then go ahead and dive right in. An experience like no other awaits you.

Nioh 2

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Developer: Team Ninja

Release Date: 2020-03-13

PlayStation 4

Defy your own mortality and unleash your inner darkness across the violent feudal land of Sengoku era Japan and the deadly Dark Realm, in this savage action RPG sequel.

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